To those who took the time to drop a review: kareneb, topaz270, MstgSzy, LoveShipper, pammy-447, 554Laura, mendenbar, conservativegirl, FaithinBones, mphs95, gatewatcher, NatesMama, jsboneslover. I really enjoyed reading each of your reviews and the insights you gave me. I really appreciate them.
I couldn't come up with something good enough I wanted to post here for this week's challenge. Sometimes, you never know what story ideas just appear in your head. I was re-watching season 6 and this idea popped up, it was written rather quickly, since inspiration had hit.
Fate
It had been two weeks since the explosion at the Jeffersonian and Brennan was enjoying her mandated break at home with her children. With their injuries sustained in the explosion at the lab all healed, Booth had decided to extend his vacation time so as to work on projects around the house that he had been putting off. Not to mention he was enjoying the quality time he had with Brennan after the kids were asleep very much. The couple cherished their time away from work. Both knew it wouldn't be long before they would be drawn back to the world of crime-fighting.
It was such an evening in the Booth household. Christine was at a sleepover at Angela's and Brennan had just finished giving Hank his bath. She had dried the little boy with a fluffy towel and put his pyjamas on when she heard her husband yell for her. From the tone of his voice, it sounded urgent. She wondered if he had injured himself while trying to fix the faulty dishwasher because that was the last thing he was doing before she had left the kitchen with Hank. She scooped Hank up into her arms, settling him on her hips before dashing out of the bathroom.
"Bones!"
Booth's voice seemed to be coming from her office rather than the kitchen.
"Bones!"
"Coming!" She hurried into her office, half expecting to find her husband lying on the ground from some accident.
"Booth, are you okay?" She asked, as Hank, who had enjoyed his mother's little jog from one end of the house to the other, giggled.
"What's this?" Booth looked distressed but otherwise unharmed. She was still trying to ascertain the cause of his distress as he pointed wildly at her laptop.
Her gaze moved from Booth to the laptop then back at Booth. "It's my laptop." She stated, unsure what the crisis was.
Booth rolled his eyes. "I know this is your laptop." He took two steps towards her and took Hank from her. "I meant, is this what I think it is?!"
Confused, Brennan leaned over her desk to look at her laptop screen, only to realise the source of his distress. "Oh! You mean the email I received from Hannah. Why are you reading my emails?"
"I wasn't- look that's not important. What's important is that she's here? And you're meeting with her?"
"You obviously know the answers to those questions since you read my email Booth."
"I was surprised that's all. It's been what almost six years?"
"Yes I believe so."
"So why are you meeting with her?"
"It's all clearly stated in our correspondence. She's in town and thought it would be good to catch up. She had heard about what happened at the Jeffersonian and was concerned for our wellbeing. Other than the fact that you were dating her, we were friends you know."
Booth cringed mentally and for a brief moment, he realised that if things had turned out differently, he could be having the same conversation with Hannah about Brennan. He quickly glanced at Hank who, content in his arms and oblivious to his parents' animated exchange, had rested his little head on his father's shoulders, his eyes opening and closing, drifting off to sleep.
"So, you're meeting her on Saturday?"
"Yes, for coffee. Are you upset that she chose to meet me instead of you? If you like, I could ask if she would mind you coming along."
"No!"
His father's high pitched yelp gave little Hank, who had dozed off, a fright. He whimpered and Booth rubbed his back soothingly. "I'm sorry buddy, go back to sleep."
He re-directed his attention to Brennan, repeating his answer in a hushed voice. "No. I mean it would be kinda awkward. You two go ahead. I'll just take the kids to the playground on Saturday morning."
"You sure?" Brennan was rather amused by Booth's reaction.
"Yes. I'm sure." Booth wasn't sure he liked the idea of his wife and ex meeting after such a long time. They were sure to talk about him. He shrugged off his unease. Walking towards Brennan he planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "The little man's asleep. I'm gonna put him in his cot now."
… …
The topic of Brennan meeting with Hannah was shelved as the week went on. Saturday morning came and Booth took his two children to the playground while Brennan had her coffee with Hannah. It was almost lunch when Booth made his way to the mall where he knew the two women had arranged to meet. It didn't make sense to drive two cars when they were going to meet as a family for lunch before heading home.
Booth had hoped that Hannah would have left by the time he was due to meet Brennan. Walking towards the coffee cart he knew he could not escape what he had been trying to avoid. Christine spied her mother from afar and set off running before Booth could stop her.
"Mommy!" Christine flung herself at her mother's legs. Brennan smiled as she put her hand on Christine's head. Booth got to the two women in time to hear Brennan introducing their daughter to Hannah.
"And this is Hank." Brennan smiled as her son who was in his father's arms reached for her.
"Hi Hank." Hannah smiled at the boy, before her gaze met Booth's.
"Seeley, it's been a long time."
"Umm, yeah. Hi Hannah."
Brennan turned to Hannah. "It was enjoyable meeting up. You should call me the next time you're in town."
"I will."
"I'll give you two a moment." Brennan said, ignoring Booth's slight shake of his head. Brennan set Hank on his feet and took his hand. Her other hand reached for Christine, leading the children away. Hank whined and reached for Booth when he realised that his father didn't seem to be coming along with them.
"I'll be right there, Tiger." Booth called after his son, before turning back to Hannah. "So umm, how have you been?"
"I've been busy. You know, the usual. Stories to chase, articles to write."
"Yeah." Booth shifted his weight from one foot to another.
"I heard about what happened at the Jeffersonian. I'm glad you and Temperance are okay."
"Yeah, you and me both. You look good." Booth offered politely.
"You too. More than I remember. Marriage looks good on you." She nodded her head at Brennan and the children a short distance away. "You have a beautiful family."
"Thanks."
"It's something I could never have given you."
Although he always knew that deep down inside, hearing it from her made him immensely glad she didn't accept his proposal that night.
"You don't know that." Booth replied politely.
"We both know that's not true. For what it's worth, I did regret my decision to turn you down. Especially now, when I see what we could've had. But on the other hand, if I had said yes, I don't think either one of us would have been as happy as you and Temperance are."
Booth didn't know what to say in response to that without being impolite, but again, she was right.
"Well, I won't keep you. It was good seeing you Seeley. You take care."
"You too." Booth leaned forward to give Hannah a quick awkward hug. He shoved both his hands into his jeans pocket, as he watched her leave. Turning towards Brennan and their children, his heart thought it would burst. They were his entire world. He remembered feeling like his world had ended that night when Hannah rejected his proposal. He remembered the rage and hurt he had felt but he remembered that even back then Brennan was there for him. Even when he had rejected her. His epiphany hit him. He knew then that if Hannah had said yes that night, he would have somehow managed to carve out a somewhat happy life for them, but he also realised he could never have been as happy as he was now. Because if he had settled for Hannah, he would have been settling for second-best.
"Daddy!" Christine's voice interrupted his reflection. His daughter was gesturing for him to join them. Brennan was beaming at him as Hank pulled her towards his father.
… …
Booth had just finished loading the dishwasher when Brennan joined him in the kitchen.
"Kids in bed?" Booth asked.
"Yes." Brennan took a seat at the counter, taking a sip from the glass of wine that Booth had poured her.
Booth stood opposite her, resting his hands on the countertop.
"So, what did you guys talk about today?"
"What, Hannah and I?"
"Yeah."
"She was mostly curious about the explosion at the Jeffersonian. We updated each other on what we had been occupied with for the past few years. Nothing much."
"You guys didn't talk about me?"
Brennan laughed. "We did. A little. She wanted to know if you were still as good in bed."
"You're teasing me."
"No. But you would be glad to know that I told her you're even better than she remembers."
Booth was silent for a moment. He leaned towards her, resting his elbows on the counter. He slid a hand towards her, taking her hand in his. He gently caressed the top of her hand with his thumb.
"Listen, I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
"After I broke up with Hannah, I told you that you being there for me meant the world to me. What I didn't tell you, was how sorry I was for what I did. I mean, I told you I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, but when you turned me down, I told you I had to move on. I shouldn't have pushed you into something you weren't ready for. Me and Hannah, should never have happened. I should've waited for you. I know you were hurting, when I was with her. I'm sorry. I really messed up. If she had said yes, I would have tried to build my life around a woman I didn't love. I had always been in love with you and I would have missed out on all of this. I would have settled for second-best."
Brennan's eyes glistened with tears.
"I'm sorry Bones, for bringing up the past."
"No Booth, it's okay. I'm thankful that you and Hannah happened. Because seeing the two of you together made me realise what I missed. It made me get the signal. It made me admit my feelings for you that I had been trying to hide. I thought I had missed my chance, and I had resigned myself to the fact that I would be alone for the rest of my life. Then you and Hannah broke up and here we are now. Without her, it wouldn't have forced me to face what I had tried so hard to ignore. Without her, I wouldn't have been brave enough to conclude that I wanted a relationship with you."
"So I guess we both should both be thankful for our exes huh?"
"Yes. On hindsight, although it was painful at the time, it was good that I did not sail off with Sully and you did not marry Hannah."
"So you saying you believe in fate now?" Booth teased, remembering the very first time he set eyes on her.
"No, I still think it's ludicrous."
"Okay then you're willing to admit that a series of things somehow happened in our past to bring us to this very moment, where we're spending the rest of our lives together."
"Yes."
"Fate."
"No Booth – " Booth silenced her by pulling her towards him for a long, languid kiss.
Booth broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers. "I love you Bones. I always have and always will."
"I love you too Booth."
Don't you just love fluff?
